Sondheim wonders if Johnny Depp has the vocal chops for Sweeney Todd film

[mousepod]

I admit I'm a huge fan of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd. I saw the original production on Broadway with Len Cariou, and have since enjoyed a number of different revivals and "re-imaginings".

While my love for Tim Burton has vanished since the atrocious Planet of the Apes remake, I like the look of this movie (or at least the trailer). And if it even has a bit of the original musical in it, I'll bet I'll enjoy it.

And if the music doesn't hold up, there's still the George Hearn/Angela Lansbury DVD from "Great Performances," so at least this won't be the only video recording of the show.

(and I still love Alan Parker's Evita)

[Chernabog]

Originally Posted by mousepod

(and I still love Alan Parker's Evita)

Wow, and I thought that Evita was unwatchable (even tho I do like the music, especially the orchestrations, to the movie version). Montage, anyone? Oh wait, let's have another montage. Oh oops we almost had a scene, but just kidding we're going to make it a montage. It's a textbook case of "what works on stage may not work cinematically".

Plus Morrigoon and I emphatically agree that whoever did Jonathan Pryce's makeup in that movie made him look like an anthromorphic turtle.

Back to sweeny: Tim Burton stuff is so hit-and-miss (The good: Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The bad: Corpse Bride, Planet of the Apes)... it's hard to tell from the trailer.

But I agree with others, it is all about the music. I think that "Not While I'm Around" is just as important as the Prologue ("Attend the tale of Sweeny Todd...") and "A Little Priest" (the end of the trailer seems to show the lead in to that song), so I seriously hope they don't cut it.

Movie musicals are always a weird thing with me anyway -- it takes a bit for me to get away from the "oh, that's different than the play and I like the way they did it in the play better" type mentality. I don't expect them to film the play either (again what works on stage may not work cinematically) but there's a point at which you gut the underlying work so much that what made the underlying work good is lost in translation entirely.